Greetings from Naples, FL.

I am a long time member of the Appraisal Institute.  Even so, I feel that individual members have been sold out for the revenue.  I understand that the Institute owns a portion of AppraisalPort.  As an owner, I would think they benefit from the fees paid as well as profits made by whomever actually operates that system (I would FNC or some other intermediary).  I continue to advocate to Institute members and prospective members and any interested appraiser to write AI and let them know how we feel. If FNC et al was so legit, why have they been sending out representatives to the appraisal boards around the country trying to explain their harmless process.  I admit, we appraisers have a tendency to put our heads in the sand (or sometimes other places) but gosh, we should get this one quite easily.

That having been said,  I recall a comment from Dave Biggers that said something like this.  "We only have AppraisalPort capability in Wintotal because the appraisers want it. It does not benefit the appraiser!"  I agree.  Appraisers wonder why we oftentimes get things dumped on us!  Poor us!!!  We ask for it.  We bow down to lender pressure, bow down to unreasonable time demands, bow down to oftentimes moronic requests, AND, we permit ourselves to be "prostituted" to the lowest bidder.

So, what are we going to do about it?  Most, I fear, will continue to rollover and wet ourselves.  Professionals don't do that.  Or? do we????

Ron Keeth, SRA, RAA

Naples, FL.